Federal budget: $7 co-payment will hurt, say Salvos

Kristian Silva

A $7 fee could be the difference between Collin Hammant choosing to see a doctor and deciding to buy himself a proper dinner - but he says he’s one of the lucky ones.

Having spent the best part of 20 years with a chronic back problem, things got worse when he developed schizophrenia. His marriage collapsed in 2010. Sometimes in public, the voices in his head were so bad that he would pick up his phone and pretend he was having an angry conversation.

Medication, he says, has helped restore some normality to his life, allowing him to earn up to $160 each week running the Salvation Army’s coffee van.

Mr Hammant, who says he also receives a $21,000 yearly disability pension, has learned how to make a little money go a long way. But there’s some costs that can’t be avoided. There’s rent, food and the fuel he needs to drive his Holden Barina between Caloundra and Brisbane several times each week for work.

“It’s just enough to live,” he says. “But the way Joe Hockey is talking, it’s as if we’re getting way too much.”

“Those guys are living on $250,000 a year. They don’t know what it’s like to have no money. They forget what it’s like to live on a single pizza for three or four days.”

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The Salvation Army’s annual Economic and Social Impact Survey - released on Wednesday - shows one in four of its community support clients were unable to afford medical treatment.

Of the 2485 people surveyed from 237 support centres, 92 per cent said they had less than $500 to spend in an emergency.

Major Bruce Harmer said the government’s proposed $7 co-payment for doctor’s visits might make some people avoid seeking medical help.

“While for most Australians a fee of $7 might not sound like much, for someone who lives on less than $35 per day, including their housing costs, this is yet another burden on their already fragile financial situation,” he said.

Major Harmer said proposed changes to Newstart and Youth Allowance requirements were a “real concern” for jobseekers, with 38 per cent of clients surveyed believing health problems or disability were a barrier to employment.

More than 100,000 volunteers will be out in force across the country for the Red Shield Appeal Doorknock this weekend, with the charity aiming to raise $10 million. The overall target for the campaign is $80 million.